


connections of love

by ghostinthebook



Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Family, I Tried, Light Angst, POV Helen, Why Did I Write This?, i wrote this in like a day and like half of it at midnight, it's mostly about haline and the blackthorn family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-08 12:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19106995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostinthebook/pseuds/ghostinthebook
Summary: Helen's going on a date with Aline. She also has six siblings to deal with.





	1. a stressed bi

**Author's Note:**

> first tda fic! pretty much all my fics have been about the show, or a mix of the show and books, but this is just the books, since tda doesn't have a show lol. pretty excited about it, since it's also my first f/f fic :) anyway, enjoy!!!

Helen looked at her hair again.

Was it too much? She wasn’t going to a fancy restaurant, it was a movie date. Maybe she should wear her hair down instead of the braid-going-into-a-ponytail look. Even if the YouTube video she copied it from claimed it was a casual hairstyle. Yeah, it was probably too much. She shook her hair out of that hairstyle and started brushing it.

She was going on a movie date with Aline Penhallow, and she wanted it to be perfect.

Aline was, quite honestly, one of the most good-looking girls Helen had ever seen. And she was nice, and bold, and strong, and beautiful, and-

She dropped her hairbrush. Of course she did.

This was going to be a disaster.

Her brother Mark stuck his head in her door.

“You good?” he asked.

“Yeah, just freaking out over my date tonight, no big deal,” Helen answered. She picked up her hairbrush and put it down, now trying to find her favorite pair of earrings. She hoped that Livvy or Dru hadn’t stolen them, it was her good pair.

“Oh, okay. You’ll do great, they won’t know what hit them. Have you seen my strawberries anywhere?”

“The date’s with a girl, and what strawberries?” Helen asked as she grabbed the earrings and started putting them on. They were next to her bi pride flag, even though she was sure she had left it on the back corner of her desk. Livvy or Dru had definitely stolen them. Or Julian’s girlfriend, Emma. She had so many people to keep track of.

“The strawberries I’ve been growing on my windowsill,” Mark answered. “Or at least they were there this morning. I’m Skyping with Cristina and Kieran tonight and I wanted to show them.”

Mark was in a polyamorous relationship with Cristina, a girl from Mexico, and Kieran, a boy from- well, honestly, Helen doesn’t remember where. Cristina was moving to California for college soon, and she thinks Kieran was planning to move, too. So, soon, they’ll all be together, but for now, they were relying on Skype.

“Uh,” Helen said. “See if somebody took them. Or maybe you moved them earlier and you don’t remember.” She was glad she was the oldest. Since their parents died, their Uncle Arthur had been taking care of them. Or, he tried. He had some sort of PTSD that he refused to go to a doctor for, and he had a full-time (but stay-at-home) job, so he wasn’t able to take care of them all the time. He did try, which was nice, but Helen ended up in charge most of the time. She was glad that she had decided on taking college locally, same with Mark, because she didn’t want to think about what would happen if Julian was left in charge. He’s too young for that, he was still in high school.

“Okay,” Mark said. “Thanks, Helen.”

He left her room and then she heard a thud. She stuck her head out of her door, to see Mark on the ground, having tripped over the strawberries. She doesn’t want to know which of her siblings put it it the hallway, of all places.

She helped Mark up on her way out, she saw Tavvy playing something on an iPad as she passed his room, and then she went down the stairs. Dru, Julian, and Emma were watching a horror movie on the TV. Helen couldn’t recognize it, so it must have been one of the newer ones.

“Make sure Tavvy doesn’t come in here while you’re watching this. Emma, stay here as long as you’d like. Julian, you’re in charge,” Helen said. Normally, she’d leave Mark in charge, but since he mentioned the Skype call, she figured he’d be occupied for the next few hours. After getting a confirmation nod from Julian, she left the house. She saw Ty and Livvy in the tree on the front lawn.

“One of you have your phone?” she asked. She didn’t think they would get locked out, but if they did, they would need their phone so they could call someone inside to get back in. Both of them nodded. She got into the car.

Once she turned the car on, she remembered where she was going.

A date. With the awesomest girl imaginable, Aline.

Well, if she wasn’t stressed enough, this was the cherry on top. Dealing with her six siblings made her forget what exactly was happening now.

She backed out of the driveway. It’ll be fine, she tried to tell herself. 

It’s just a movie date. Low expectations, and maybe she’ll get a kiss goodnight (though thinking about getting even a quick kiss from Aline made her feel all tingly).

It’ll be fine.


	2. movie date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so much hand-holding here. so much. enjoy!!!

Helen was standing in front of the theater, waiting for Aline.

She didn’t know a lot about the movie they were seeing. Emma and Julian had seen it, and told her it had good lesbian representation where they ended up happy and together in the end. So, she bought two tickets then and there. A good movie, where she can share popcorn and candy with Aline, and possibly hold her hand? That sounds like a great date to her.

She looked up from her phone, and saw Aline walking to her from the parking lot.

She was gorgeous. Her hair was in a ponytail, makeup minimal but amazing, and a really cute outfit that she still looked like she could kill a man in. She was smiling as she walked up to Helen.

Helen couldn’t believe her luck.

“Hi, Helen,” Aline said, grabbing her hand as soon as she was next to her. Helen had an internal freak-out.

“Hey, Aline,” she responded. “Let’s go in and get the snacks before it starts.” Aline agreed and they walked in, standing in line.

Once they got the snacks (Helen was surprised with how little it cost when she wasn’t buying for seven people, just two), they found their seats and sat down. It was in the middle of the previews.

“I’ll probably end up eating most of the snacks now,” Aline said, putting popcorn in her mouth with one hand and holding Helen’s hand in the other. “Previews are so boring.”

Helen couldn’t help but agree. She’d probably agree to just about anything Aline said right now. Within reason, of course, but she trusted Aline. She didn’t know why, she hadn’t known Aline all that long, she just did.

They watched the movie, subconsciously scooting closer to each other during it. There was a lot of accidental (not accidental, Helen thought) hand touching, like reaching for the popcorn at the same time.

At one point, near the end of the movie, Aline leaned over and kissed Helen on the cheek.

Helen felt like she was the Wicked Witch of the West, and Aline was Dorothy, who just threw a bucket of water on to her.

She was melting.

Melting at the thought of Aline liking her. She didn’t have a lot of insecurities, but Aline was perfect to her. Of course, everyone had flaws, but Aline’s didn’t matter to her. Helen liked her a lot. So, for Aline to like her back, enough to date her? That was a lot.

Melting at the feeling of Aline’s lips on her cheek. It had actually been a while since she last dated someone, so it felt like the first time; something new, so full of meaning and potential.

Melting at the touch, all the small touches that Aline had given her throughout the movie. She could live off of this, if she was in a desert. She could live off the oasis that is Aline.

She might be falling in love a bit too quick, she thought. But it’s all worth it.

If it means she has Aline, she will be satisfied.

Before she knew it, the movie was over. It was as good as Emma and Julian had said.

“So,” Helen asked, feeling bold. “Want to go get some fro-yo?”

“Yeah,” Aline said. She was still smiling.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

“Oh shoot,” Aline said, looking at the caller ID. “It’s my mom, I gotta take this.”

“Take your time,” Helen said. “I’ll go over there so that I won’t listen in, okay?” Aline nodded, so Helen walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. Aline answered the phone, looking slightly frustrated as she talked. Soon enough, the call was over, and Aline walked over to Helen.

“Let’s go, I want the fro-yo,” Aline said. Helen got up as they started walking towards their cars, agreeing on a place to meet up. After a pause in the conversation, Aline spoke up again.

“Sorry if I freaked earlier, when my mom called. There’s a lot going on right now, and-”

“It’s okay,” Helen said. “I understand.”

They got to their cars. Helen was still running on the boldness from earlier, and she kissed Aline on the cheek.

She doesn’t know who was blushing more.


	3. fro-yo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two things: 1. there's a lot of fro-yo in California (i'm from California, i should know) and 2. my favorite word is embezzlement and i got to use it in this chapter

“So,” Aline said, mixing her toppings into her fro-yo. “Let’s play a game.”

“What kind of game?” Helen asked. Her date was going so well, it was amazing. She had to stop herself so many times from spamming the Blackthorn group chat with pictures and excited texts.

“Guessing game. I’ll ask you to guess something about me, and then you can do the same. It’s more fun that small talk,” she said. She took a spoonful of the fro-yo and ate it. Helen’s fro-yo, in comparison, was already eaten, since Helen tended to eat fast. She had six siblings, if she wasn’t fast, they’d steal it. That was her logic.

“Okay,” Helen said. “I’ll start. Guess whether I’m a vegetarian or not.”

“Hm,” Aline said, thinking. “I don’t think you are.”

“You’re right! Everyone thinks I am one, though. Apparently I look like one,” Helen said. It was true, people told her she looked like a faerie, for some reason, and that makes them think she’s a vegetarian. Which was ridiculous. Faeries aren’t real.

“Okay, my turn,” Aline said, smiling. “Guess my mom’s job.”

“I think she’s a… I don’t know, something high up somewhere,”

“You could say that,” Aline said. “She’s CEO of Alicante Inc.”

“Wait, really?” Helen asked, shocked. Alicante Inc. was one of the biggest local businesses around, it was about to go into other states.

“Yeah, once the guy that started it was caught with embezzlement, she got the job.”

“Wow.”

“Okay, your turn again,” Aline said.

“One second,” Helen said. “I gotta think of a question.” There wasn’t a lot of interesting things going on in her life, except maybe stuff with her siblings… 

“Guess how many siblings I have,” she asked. There was no way she was getting this right.

“I think that’s a trick question,” Aline said confidently. “I’m guessing you’re an only child.”

Helen burst out laughing.

“You couldn’t be more wrong,” she said, still laughing a bit as she did. “I have six siblings.”

“Six?!?” Aline almost shouted, she was so shocked.

“Four brothers, two sisters. Get yourself comfortable, this story will take a while,” Helen said.

“I’m the oldest. My oldest younger brother, Mark, is the only one who has the same biological mom as me. After Mark is Julian. Then there’s Ty and Livvy, the twins. After them is Dru, and then there’s the youngest, Tavvy. If you count our significant others, then I have you. Mark is in a long-distance polyamorous relationship with a girl and a guy. Although, they’ll be moving here soon, so it won’t be long-distance much longer. Julian’s girlfriend, Emma, we’ve known her since both of them were babies. Ty has a boyfriend named Kit. Everyone else is single.”

Aline was watching Helen intently the whole time, trying to keep track of all the information.

“So, let me get this straight,” Aline said. “You, Mark, Julian, Ty, Livvy… Dru?” she asked, looking relieved when Helen nodded. “And Tavvy. For significant others, you have me,” Aline winked as she said this. “Mark has a boyfriend and a girlfriend, Julian has a girlfriend, and Ty has a boyfriend. So if you had a dinner with your family and everyone’s SO’s, you’d have… fourteen people there, including your parents?”

“Thirteen,” Helen corrected. “Both of our parents are dead. Our Uncle Arthur is taking care of us.” She didn’t add the fact that he wasn’t. It was still just the first date.

“Wow,” Aline said. “I’d have three people. Me, mom, and dad.”

Helen was about to say something in response when her phone went off. She motioned to Aline that she had to check it, just one second.

It was a text from Mark.

“Kieran’s job won’t let him move here for another year,” Helen read out loud. She was frowning as she said it, feeling sorrowful for her brother. She knew how much he had been looking forward to it.

“Who’s Kieran?” Aline asked. She looked concerned.

“Mark’s boyfriend. He was supposed to move out here soon, but I guess that won’t happen for another year.” Helen paused. “Would you mind if I went home now? I enjoyed this date, I really did, and I’d love to stay, but I think Mark needs me.”

She really didn’t want to leave this date with Aline. But out of all their siblings, Mark shared the closest bond with Helen. They were still all close with everyone, but Mark and herself were just so similar. She would be the best one to comfort him right now.

“Of course, go,” Aline said. “He needs you.”

“Thank you so much,” she said, then she paused in front of Aline.

She really wanted to kiss her.

“Hey, uh, Aline,” Helen said, trying to look her in the eyes. “Can I kiss you?”

Aline looked right back at her.

“Please do.”

Helen leaned down, since Aline was still sitting in her seat, and kissed her. The kiss was short, but full of everything she had felt that night. Every emotion, every feeling, she could feel in that kiss. Aline brought her hand up and put it on Helen’s cheek. Helen put her hand on the back of Aline’s neck.

Yes. This is how she wanted the night to end.

She pulled back. Started to leave, almost running into the door because she was still looking at her girlfriend. Aline Penhallow.

“I’ll text you when I get home,” she said.

“I’ll be waiting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm gonna be honest here. i'm not satisfied with how this is turning out, i'm writing it way too fast, and i feel like i could do better. so next chapter will likely be the last one. i have more tda fics planned, so keep an eye out for those. if the next chapter is an epilogue, you'll definitely see the more of the ships there. i do have moments in this fic that i liked (for example, in this one i finally figured out how to write a kiss other than just saying "they kissed"), so i don't really regret writing it, it's just not going how i wanted it to. hope you guys enjoyed this, see ya in probably a few hours for that epilogue.


	4. planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy!!!!!

“I need a decision. White or gold. Go.”

“Gold,” Helen said to her fiancée. They were figuring out the color of the tablecloths for their wedding.

Helen was marrying Aline Penhallow. Wow.

She didn’t have time to have an existential crisis over that because approximately ten people went down the stairs all at once and into the kitchen, making a lot of noise as they did.

Everyone was in town for the wedding. Kieran and Cristina had already moved to California, even though Kieran took longer to get there. Julian and Emma, after graduating high school, had gone on a road trip, which they returned from yesterday.

She could see Kit and Ty across the room, watching something on Ty’s laptop. They were sharing some microwaved popcorn, and she could see them holding hands.

It reminded her so much of her first date with Aline, that she wanted to cry a bit. She was marrying that girl!

The group of people that went into the kitchen, now having gotten their food, went back up the stairs. She hadn’t looked to see who was there, but just going off of who was in the room she was in, she could make guesses.

She looked at the ring on her hand, and the matching ring on Aline’s.

Again, her poetic thoughts were interrupted by more people. This time, it was Mark, Cristina, and Kieran going down the stairs and opening the front door.

“We’re gonna go buy some smores, want something?” Mark called out to the rest of the house.

“A will to live,” Kit said, smiling. Not everyone in the house had his sense of humor, but Helen could appreciate it.

“Revenge!” Emma shouted, then went back to the call from her parents.

“Pepsi,” Dru said. “All we have here is Diet Cherry Coke.”

“We can get the Pepsi. Will to live and revenge, you’re on your own,” Mark said. He then left with his two partners. Helen knew that if she looked out the window, she’d see Mark racing Cristina for the driving seat. Kieran sometimes joined in, but he liked driving his motorcycle better. She could hear the car leave.

Helen was about to suggest something different for the tablecloths when Julian walked down the stairs.

“Helen, who’s in charge when you’re gone for your honeymoon?”

“Mark?”

“Okay.” He then walked back up the stairs.

Finally, she had a second to look at Aline again. She turned, and Aline had a smile on her face.

“What?” Helen asked.

“I like watching you be all in charge and everything. You deal with everyone so well.”

Helen leaned forward and gave her fiancée a quick kiss on the lips.

“It’s a talent. That you have, also, judging by how you handled everyone when I was sick last month.” She had caught the flu, probably from one of her siblings, a month ago. Aline, she was told, was a fearsome force, who made sure everything was still running while Helen was sick.

She knew that Helen would have done the same for her.

“So,” Helen said, changing the subject back. “What about alternating tablecloths? Some white, some gold?”

Aline thought about that for a second. “Yeah, sounds good.”

They sat in silence for a bit. It was a comfortable silence.

“I love you,” Helen said to Aline.

“I love you, too.”


End file.
